A self-described "A-Team" of volunteer cyber sleuths has disclosed
how it helped identify the alleged Wikileaks whistleblower.

Bradley Manning on a gay pride march.

By Tom Leonard in New York

8:00PM BST 02 Aug 2010

Vigilant, an alliance of some 600 volunteers, has been scouring internet traffic for 14 years and passing information to the US federal authorities, said its director, Chet Uber.

Speaking at DefCon, a computer hacking convention in Las Vegas, Mr Uber said the group monitored 12 regional internet service providers for terrorists, drug cartels and organised crime.

He said the Florida-based group had encouraged one of its members, Adrian Lamo, to inform the authorities about Bradley Manning, the former intelligence analyst who allegedly provided the Wikileaks site with classified military information.

Mr Lamo, a researcher, had struck up an online friendship with Mr Manning and later identified him as the source of a Wikileaks video showing the US military killing Iraqi civilians.

Mr Uber said Mr Lamo had been reluctant to expose his friend so the Vigilant chief arranged for him to meet federal agencies.